Earthworm Foundation – Zero Deforestation and Conversion (ZDC) Methodology

The Zero Deforestation and Conversion (ZDC) methodology is a deforestation and conversion risk assessment protocol for soy supplies. It verifies that a physical flow of soy from the production area to the shipment meets these Zero Deforestation and Conversion (ZDC) criteria: not related to deforestation or conversion of natural ecosystems, whether legal or illegal, after the cut-off date of January 1, 2020. It has been developed by Earthworm Foundation in the context of the French Soy Manifesto. 

Risk assessment is performed in the producing country before exportation. This allows European players who directly or indirectly consume soy to do so without the risk of contributing to the deforestation of ecosystems in Brazil.

The methodology is divided into four stages:

• Data collection: Mapping the supply chain by collecting traceability information from the trader and his suppliers.
• Risk assessment: Analysis of the origin of soy volumes by cross-referencing information on soybean crops and deforestation or conversion events. Special attention is given to each logistic facility in which soy from different origins is mixed: storage silos, crushing plants, port terminals, cargo ships, and other transport hubs.
• Validation: Verification of the assessment and final evaluation of the cargo ship. At the end of the protocol, the trader receives a summary report and a letter declaring the volumes of Zero Deforestation and Conversion (ZDC) soy in the cargo to communicate the results to the market.
• Risk mitigation: Sharing a series of recommendations to develop risk mitigation measures supporting the transition to deforestation- and conversion-free verified soy supply chains. Special attention is given to supplier engagement, deforestation-conversion monitoring, and management of non-compliance.

Earthworm Foundation is currently developing the second version of the methodology to enhance risk assessment. They also aim to test the approach at the level of crushing plants to increase the impact. 

Another development is to pilot the Zero Deforestation and Conversion (ZDC) methodology for soybeans imported from Brazil that will be crushed in European territory and soy by-products, while the focus has been on meal so far.

This last development on the beans is also part of our landscape initiative in the Sorriso region in Brazil, one of the main soy-producing ones in the world. We are developing a “supply shed” approach to ensure soybeans cultivated in that area are deforestation and conversion-free.